We go on land…just letting the dinghy on the beach as here, safety is not an issue. We must check in with Customs and Immigration…at last. We are told that we should have sailed to Smith Bay but as we recount the story of our oil leaking water pump, the official is very understanding…

We go to the main road and hitchhike towards the airport north of New Bight...a lady working for the Utilities Company takes us and makes a detour to bring us to the airport…there, we meet the immigration clerk who informs us that we must go to Smith Bay harbour to clear customs. Ok. He gives us a lift and warns us that usually the officer there wants to see the boat. OK.

At the harbour, we meet the senior office, a very friendly man, whom we tell the story of our leaking pump…with a bright smile, he tells the clerk who brought us in to do the necessary paper work and wishes us good luck! The young man does his job but Heiner notices that he writes $300.00 on the receipt…oops! He has not read carefully that our boat is shorter than 36 feet and thus, puts us in the category of the $150.00 fees. We kindly point that out to him and he “whitens” all the mistakes…He promises us a lift back to the airport and waits for us that we go and check in the produces at the packing plant, just a couple of yards away. The plant is virtually empty…the lady sells us the remaining and a bit tired looking tomatoes for $1.00. The clerk brings us past the airport and let us at the New Bight Store where we buy rum and carrots... That night, I made a huge fish chowder!